Separate Worlds
by ravenbutterfly
Summary: The boy is quiet, introverted and doesn't know where he fits in the world.
1. Braving It

**Authors Note: Hasn't been beta'd so all mistakes are mine. Feedback is much appreciated.**

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Sitting alone in the back corner, his favourite spot of the English classroom, the young boy stared out of the window to watch the students play rounders on the playing field. He recognised his older sister immediately for she stood several inches above her classmates with a mane of golden blonde hair which reflected the bright sun giving her a heavenly glow. The way she moved with a long legged gracefulness only served to solidify her angelic appearance.

Suddenly the teacher's voice brought him back to the confines of the stuffy room, the kind, plump woman repeated her question which he answered without hesitation granting him a few unsettling stares from the other children, especially the coalition of boys who also sat at the back, a couple of desks away. He was used to the looks and comments by now for the class were near the end of their first year at secondary school. Intelligent and mature beyond his years, teachers had come to rely on the boy to answer questions which the others couldn't. He didn't mind of course, the others weren't his friends and he owed them nothing.

He did have one friend in the London school of over a thousand students. Rebecca was a girl in his year but in a different tutor group who he'd come to think of as an ally in the middle of enemy territory. Both were introverted, naturally intelligent and were interested in matters beyond playground politics. He greatly missed her company at lunch today which had made him more reclusive than usual for the afternoon. It was rare for Becky to miss a day at school and leave him to deal with the continued questions shouted over the lunch hall such as 'has your girlfriend dumped you?' He sat and tried to read his book however he couldn't block out the taunts.

The ringing of the school bell always came as a relief. Packing up slowly, he waited for the rest of the class to leave first before thanking Mrs Matthews and leaving himself. He was half way towards the car park when suddenly an aggressive voice came from behind.

"You think you're so clever don't you Adam?" The boy increased his pace, not daring to look back and hoped in vain they would leave him alone.

"Don't ignore me!" The voice came again, one he recognised as the class clown's. Adam's heart raced as he marched forward however he wasn't quick enough, suddenly a hand on his backpack brought him to a halt.

"Go away!" Adam replied rather pathetically.

Three boys were immediately around him, closed in and surrounded him. Panic clutched at the young boy's heart as he blindly flung out which elicited a round of malicious laughter from the much taller, bulkier boys. He felt tears prick the sides of his eyes which he unsuccessfully tried to fight.

The tallest of the three, Dan Marshall a boy who took great delight in teasing and taunting the son of the man who had arrested his father last summer, said in a mocking tone, "the big bad policeman's son is going to cry! Where's your girlfriend Adam? She had enough of you?"

Looking down at the ground, Adam didn't react to the boys even when they started pushing him around the tiny circle they had created. Someone was bound to see him soon, to come to his rescue.

After several minutes of torture his prayer arrived in the form of a tall, well built and unkempt teenager with a mop of curly brown hair with eyes to match. "Oi!" He shouted as he strode confidently towards the boys with his hands in his pockets.

Towering over Adam's bullies, his saviour snarled, "why don't you go find someone your own size to annoy."

The bullies backed off slowly and regrouped, "we can't be bothered with you today Hunt, but just you wait until PE tomorrow." They walked away laughing.

"Piss off." The older boy shouted back before looking down and taking pity on his younger brother. The twelve year old had yet to have a growth spurt of any kind and was skinny as rake, an easy target without the added ammunition of their father's occupation.

Adam sighed as they meandered towards the busy car park, "I didn't need your help Tom."

The older boy laughed, "yeah 'cos you were doing just perfectly without me."

They rounded the corner to see the immaculate silver Nissan Skyline sitting proudly, looking effortlessly stylish against the boringly ordinary cars.

"Don't tell dad..." Adam said earnestly, his blue/green eyes wide with worry, "please."

Thomas nodded his head and chuckled, "don't worry bro, the fact that you're a geek is safe with me."

"Alright boys?" Their father asked in his gruff voice as they jumped in the back of the Skyline as their sister had already taken the coveted front seat.

Tom nodded his head and replied in an easy tone, "we're good dad, how was work?"

Adam sat silently and looked out the window as they drove off. Feeling dejected after another round with the bullies, self deprecating thoughts filled his mind. He wondered how he could be the product of Gene and Alex Hunt, two headstrong, self assured people with two confident and beautiful children to match. Where did that leave him? Not for the first time he wished he had different parents, ordinary people like a bank clerk or a doctor.

Gene sighed heavily, "not good," he started, "young girl died last night." Having decided that their children were both old and mature enough, Gene and Alex spoke about their work more openly now in order to prepare them for the harsh realities of adulthood. Neither wanted to sugar coat the pill and leave their children defenceless.

"I'm sure you'll work it out dad," Olivia reassured, looking over at her father as he drove.

Adam remained as silent as a mouse until they reached their detached home a couple of miles from the school at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac in a more residential part of the capital.

Noticing his mother's car was missing from the drive, Adam quickly kicked off his shoes in the hallway and retreated to his attic room at the top of the house without a word. He was tired and stressed after a long day dealing with the outside world alone. He considered calling Becky however he decided against it until he'd chilled out.

Flopping down on his bed, he grabbed his walkman, placed the headphones over his light brown hair and leaned back on his pillows letting the voice of Michael Jackson sooth his troubled soul.

**To be continued...**


	2. Chapter 2

**Authors Note: Sorry for the long delay, I was having trouble getting the character's voices right in my mind but I hope I've got it now. MUCH more Galex in this one folks  Thanks to everyone who reviewed Chapter 1.**

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Relief washed over Alex when finally she drove into the cul-de-sac in which she lived and her red brick house came into view. She had had a long day with Special Branch, leading her profiling unit in a tricky investigation meaning she had left hours after her usual three pm finish time. That stress was gradually seeped from her mind now she was home.

Bringing the Ford Estate to a halt on the driveway in front of the closed garage doors, Alex stepped out of the car onto the gravel before slamming the green door shut. On her way to the front door, she passed the silver Skyline which sat next to her Estate on the driveway. Bought four years before, it was slowly replacing the hole which the demise of the Quattro had left in her heart.

To love Gene was to love his car, they came part and parcel. The Quattro had been as constant as Gene had been during her first emotionally turbulent years in this world. Many fond memories lay within the tornado red vehicle, in fact she had suggested while pregnant with Olivia that the baby should named Quattro after her place of conception.

Pleasant memories flowed unbidden through her mind as she approached the porch until they were suddenly interrupted by the dark wood door flinging open to reveal the leggy form of her daughter striding out on the stone path.

"Where are you going?" Alex asked, noting how she wore her father's pout perfectly.

The girl came to halt in front of her mother, two months shy of her fourteenth birthday she had already reached Alex's height and would probably overtake her before long. Tall, slim and sporty which luscious blonde locks and her father's stunning pale blue eyes coupled with a personality as turbulent and strong willed as the summer thunder storm during which she had been born, Alex knew she was going to be a heartbreaker, much to her worry.

"Going to the park with Lisa and Ashleigh," she replied, her hands on her hot pant covered hips.

"And your homework?"

Letting out a small sigh, Olivia answered, "I didn't have any set today, you can check if you want."

"I will later." Alex stated firmly as Olivia began to walk off, "I want you back by eight." She called after her.

Parenting another daughter had been tough on Alex, tougher than she had expected. Even after eighteen years after her abrupt entrance into her adoptive world, Molly still crept into her thoughts, usually when she least expected however all communication from her past life ceased the day she truly embraced this world, the day she succumbed to Gene Hunt. A part of Alex hoped that one day she would return to 2008, she had had all worked out after the failure of Operation Rose, a year equalled a day roughly, sixty years here and then she'd wake up after two months in a coma and live another life. Was it possible? To do what most people dreamed of.

It had taken a long time for her to accept this however. Operation Rose, the undercover mission to go inside the corrupt policemen's base, a disused warehouse, had gone dreadfully wrong. Gene had been shot by a hidden marksman only ten minutes after entering the expansive series of large storage rooms. He had ordered them to go on however Alex refused to leave him bleeding to death and at the mercy of the corrupt officers. They retreated, took Gene to hospital and that was that.

The days, weeks and months that followed had been the hardest of Alex's life.

"_Where is she?" Gene demanded as he marched into Luigi's during the lunchtime rush. _

_Alex had been a constant at his hospital bedside while he recovered from the surgery to remove the bullet from his shoulder. Once he had been discharged a few days later, she hadn't been seen or heard from and he suspected it was more than the alleged cold she had phoned in with. _

"_Ah Signor Hunt," the ageing barman approached him cautiously, rubbing his hands together nervously. "The signora said not to let anyone up to the flat." _

_Sighing, Gene ignored the Italian's statement and barged past towards Alex's. He knocked a couple of times without answer, he tried to pound the door and even shout 'police' however she wasn't going to answer. _

_Taking a step back, as much as he could in the small hallway, he shouldered the door and it flung open slamming against the opposite wall with an almighty bang. He winced as a shot of pain went through his shoulder. He entered her flat to find it a complete mess, given that she was borderline obsessive about keeping the place neat and tidy, it worried him greatly. _

_Unsettling thoughts raced through his mind, could she have done a runner? Perhaps the bent coppers had come back for her and taken her as revenge. He refused to allow the darkest scenario to form in his mind for there was no world without his Bolly. These thoughts terrified him and propelled him to rush through the small flat, slamming every door open. _

_Without hesitation, he flung open her bedroom door and a relief like he had never let before flooded his system. It was quickly replaced by concern. _

_Underneath the red silk sheets was a small, motionless lump. The only indication that it was a woman lay there was the dark hair which peeked out from the blood red sheet. _

_Gene hesitated for only the briefest of seconds for he had never been good at this type of 'emotional' stuff, which he was sure it had to be, but it pained him not to have her infuriating him in the office, not too see that perfect arse teasing him as it moved and swayed underneath those tight jeans._

"_Alex?" He said as he approached the bed. No response. _

_He carefully sat on the other side of the bed, panic froze his heart as he thought again of the worst case scenario. This panic was washed away as he watched the slow, steady rhythm of her torso. "Alex?" He asked again, placing a hand on her shoulder. _

_No response yet again._

"_Come on Alex!" Gene's voice rumbled throughout the small room._

_A small sigh could be heard from the bundle, the slightest of indications lifted his heart. "That's it, come on Alex." _

_Slowly Alex turned to reveal her tear stained cheeks, her dull, blood shot eyes and her usually perfectly styled hair a mess. Recognition flickered over her eyes before they began to feel heavy and closed once again. _

"_Stay with me Alex," Gene pleaded. At a loss as to what to do, he got up and rounded the bed and ripped the covers from her body to reveal her faded pyjama clad body. She reacted by curling tighter into a ball. _

_Forever the man of action, Gene proceeded to gather her dead weight in his arms and carry her into the living room and dropped her onto the sofa. This had the desired effect, he watched as she pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapped her arms around them and rested her forehead on her knees. _

_All Gene wanted to do was to gather her up in his arms, to protect her from whatever was hurting her and to fight it away for her. Instead he sat down on the black and white striped sofa and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. He was comforted when she leaned into him and took a long sniff. _

"_What's going on Alex? Who's done this to you?"_

"_It's all my fault," Alex croaked quickly. _

"_You know Bolls, you confuse the crap out of me." _

_Gene knew he wasn't the most perceptive man, especially when it came to bloody women, but how did it not know what was going on with her? They spent day after day together at work and countless nights in a corner of Luigi's drinking away the night. They were the ones, they had a connection. _

"_I've lost her forever," her voice was barely above a whisper. _

"_Who?"_

_Over the course of the last few days alone she had successfully cried herself dry, her voice was now devoid of anything except a hint of sorrow. "My Molly, my precious little Molly, I'll never see her again. I tried everything to get back to her."_

_His grip on her tightened, pulling her body closer to his, her knees fell sideward onto his lap and her entire body turned toward him and her head rested on his shoulder. That's the way they stayed for how long neither knew, she drew strength from his presence, knowing that she wasn't alone in this world. _

_Her wounds weren't repaired overnight however it was the beginning of the healing process, a gradual adjustment to a new life. Gene was always there by her side and with her growing acceptance came a change in their relationship. He had taken it upon himself to look after her, taking her out to dinner, even a couple of trips of the cinema which eased the pain. _

Alex walked through the front door to be assaulted by the strong, distinctive scent of fish and chips. It was always the way when she had to work late, Indian, Chinese, Pizza or Fish and Chips were on the menu. It wasn't that Gene couldn't cook, in fact he was quite good when he put the effort in, however despite the fact that her influence on him over the years had brought out a more modern man, she wasn't a miracle worker.

After kicking off high heels and placing her briefcase on the polished wooden floor, she entered the spacious living room to find father and son sitting next to each other watching a football match and completely oblivious to her entrance. Tom was still in his school uniform and mirrored his father's scruffy appearance with his blue and gold striped tie hanging loose and his white shirt pulled out.

Striding into the room, she grabbed the mountain of greasy newspaper from the coffee table and scrunched it up, making sure she was standing directly in front of the television. Both men sighed.

"Do you mind Alex? City are one nil down!" Gene barked.

"Yeah mum." Tom chimed in.

Ignoring their disdain, Alex asked, "where's Adam?"

"Where do you think? Up in his room." Tom answered, for Alex had moved enough for Gene to get half of the large screen into view and so all attention had been diverted.

Noticing this, Alex moved back, "has he eaten?"

"Of course he has," Gene replied, falling back against the blue cushions, "look there's only ten minutes left of the match."

Sighing with irritation, she replied, "when you can pull yourself away from the football, I'd like a word in the kitchen." With that she marched into the kitchen in that high and mighty way which hadn't changed in all the years he had known her.

Running a hand through his greying dark blonde hair, Gene wondered what he had done now to annoy his wife however came up clueless. Usually she understood his unwavering devotion to Manchester City.

"You better go dad, she sounded pissed." Thomas stated quietly, "City won't pull this one around, not now."

Nodding his head solemnly, Gene patted his son's thigh before heaving himself up. He found his wife bending over in front of the open oven, putting one of those rancid 'ready meals' he hated on the top shelf. Leaning against the doorframe, he allowed himself one of his most favourite pleasures. Even after three children and the onset of middle age, Alex, in Gene's most biased opinion, still had the most perfect arse.

Feeling her husband's gaze on her posterior, Alex turned and slammed the oven door shut with a clang. "Have you told him?" Alex approached him, her hazel eyes wide with concern.

Gene's brow creased with confusion, "told who what?"

Rolling her eyes, Alex placed her hands on top of the black pencil skirt at her hips, "about the girl who died this morning?" Gene's expression was still blank, "you didn't recognise the name? She was Adam's friend..."

"Was she?" His expression fell, obviously feeling guilty for not knowing, he dug his hands in the pockets of his black trousers.

"You didn't know?"

Taking a long steadying sigh, he shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know do I? Do you know the name of every one of their friends?"

"She was his only friend Gene," a lump formed in her throat at the thought, "if you just tried to bond..."

Growing more frustrated, Gene began to pace the black and white tiled floor. "I tried, you know I tried," he responded defensively, it was something which weighted down his heart constantly, "he's just so quiet, so..."

"So unlike you," Alex filled in with a small, sad smile. Walking up to him, she took his hand and placed a gentle kiss on his lips, "please for me, go talk to him."

His eyes widened with realisation, "you want me to tell him?" He shook his head adamantly, "I'd only cock it up, you two have that special connection, you have to do it."

Alex stepped back out of his embrace and wrapped her arms across her chest, they were going round in circles, "he's your son as well Gene."

Sometimes she felt she had to remind him of this fact. Their youngest son had been a matter of contention between the two since before his birth. They hadn't planned on another baby believing two was perfect and more than enough with two careers and a three bedroom house in the suburbs.

_They had been the envy of everyone who saw them that night. Swaying on the dance floor to their own rhythm, he wrapped his long arms protectively around her slim body, resting his hands on her arse while she pressed herself against him with her hands resting on the back of his neck, absentmindedly playing with the soft hair there. _

_Alex was in heaven. That warm, tingling feeling from the champagne flowed through her veins coupled with the intoxicating scent and feel of Gene, it was almost too much to take. _

_It had been quite simply one of the happiest days of her life. Ray had finally found his match in a WPC called Gabriella whom he'd married in an extravagant celebration which had been in full swing since the small ceremony at the registry office early in the afternoon. What they had saved during the simple ceremony, they more than made up with the reception. Hosted in a hotel by the Thames, the large hall had been hired and rooms allocated to the principle guests. _

_Thomas had looked adorable in his little page boy suit which included a waistcoat. Alex had almost cried with pride when the two and half year old walked up the aisle with one of Gabriella's nieces, a couple of years his senior, dressed in a matching bridesmaid's dressed. Gene, who had had nine month old Olivia in his lap, had squeezed her hand and shared a knowing smile. _

_Both children had run themselves ragged over the course of the day, loving the attention of doting colleagues and relatives. By six both were fast asleep and, as arranged, taken home by one of the desk sergeants, Sylvia, who did some occasional babysitting when Gene thought it necessary to take his wife out. _

"_Do you know what Bolls?" Gene asked in a drunken slur, his breath tickling her ear. _

"_What?" She asked, pulling back slightly to look into his eyes. _

"_I've had enough of dancing, how about some of the horizontal variety?" _

_Alex let out a laugh and glanced at her watch, "it's only ten Gene." _

_He leaned in again, taking a deep inhale of her soft hair before stating in a mock menacing tone, "I won't last that long, I'll have you right here on this dance floor before long." _

_Unable to repress her smile, Alex said in sweet voice, "we can't have that now, can we Mr Hunt?" Her hazel eyes darted playfully around them, "what will they say?" _

_Gene's resolve broke. He leant down and kissed her leaving them both breathless and then grabbed her hand and led them through the busy crowd of dancers towards the exit which neighboured by the bar. Upon seeing his best man making a getaway, Ray pushed himself upright using the polished wood of the bar and staggered over to them, an equally drunken Chris in his wake. _

"_Thanks," the groom said, his bottom lip quivering with emotion. Suddenly he pulled his superior officer and friend into a tight hug, "thanks for everything." He was almost on the verge of tears now. _

_Chris followed the sentiment and hugged Gene while Ray took Alex into tight, heartfelt embrace and gave her a sneaky pinch on the arse as they pulled apart, her expression was replied to by a cheeky wink._

"_If me and Gabby are half as happy as you two are, then we're well sorted." He stated firmly, holding his pint of beer up. _

"_Too right," Chris stated holding up his own glass. _

_Alex smiled graciously, she was drunk but not __**that**__ drunk and so found the seriousness of the two men hilarious considering Ray's shirt was hanging out, his gold tie hung at an odd angle and a smudge of wedding cake decorated his otherwise white shirt. _

_Gene wrapped an arm across her shoulders proudly and pulled her in close. "Now if you don't mind gentlemen, I'm going to show this woman how much I love her." _

_Large, knowing grins appeared in synchronisation on the other men's faces. "Good luck ma'am," Ray said mockingly. It surprised them both that they had made it to their hotel room at all. __In a frenzied moment of intense, dizzying passion in the lift followed by night second only their own wedding night, Adam had been conceived. _

"Fine I'll talk to him." Gene stated solemnly. He knew she had used her psycho-babble to guilt trip him into breaking the news to Adam and it had worked. Without another word, Gene skulked out of the kitchen toward his son's attic room.


End file.
